Nevada freshman Tucker Melcher battles brain infection

RENO — Tucker Melcher, a freshman wide receiver on the Nevada football team, is in the intensive care unit at Saint Mary's Regional Medical Center fighting an infection in his brain.

"There's brain swelling. It's a waiting game," an emotional Bubba Melcher, Tucker's dad, said Tuesday. "… The next three days are pretty hit and miss. Nobody knows how it happened."

Bubba Melcher, a longtime area football coach, elite cyclist and former Wolf Pack football player, said a neurosurgeon has seen his son, who remains on a ventilator to prevent aspiration. Tucker has paralysis in his left arm and leg, and Bubba Melcher said the doctors have told him they believe it is temporary.

"It's happened before to young kids like this and they come out of it," Bubba said. "With the complications, it's a guessing game."

Tucker, who walked on last fall and redshirted, had what was believed to be a basic sinus infection when he went with some friends to Southern California for spring break last week. Bubba said the symptoms got worse and Tucker's friends took him to three emergency rooms in three days before deciding they needed to take Tucker home. After coming home, Tucker developed a fever of 105.6 and had two seizures.

Bubba said Tucker's doctor has told them that such bacterial infections are more prevalent.

"He said in 10 years he saw maybe one of these in the area," Bubba said. "He said he sees maybe five a year now."

Bubba said Wolf Pack coach Brian Polian, who opens spring camp on April 2, and the university have been very helpful.

"The whole coaching staff, the training staff, the university as a whole has been awesome," Bubba said. "Coach Polian has already talked to (Tucker's) professors. He has been really great that way. …

"(Tucker's) mom (Tracy) and I are so impressed with the way this football program and university have stepped up and handled this from Dr. (Carol) Scott (the team physician) to (athletic director) Doug Knuth. Coach Polian said they treat their players like family. He's been here more than anybody."

Polian released a statement through the Nevada media services office:

"We have been aware of the situation since Saturday and have been in constant communication with his family. I have been with Tucker over the last couple of days, as have many other members of our staff and team. The physical and mental toughness that Tucker has shown through this has been inspiring and will no doubt help him further as he continues to recover.

"The thoughts and prayers of our program are with the Melcher family right now. I have no doubt that our community and our Wolf Pack fan base feels the same way. However, we ask that everyone respect the privacy of the Melcher family so that they can focus all of their energy on Tucker."

Bubba Melcher also praised the medical personnel at Saint Mary's.

"Tucker is in great care here," he said. "He's got an array of doctors that are on it."

He urged parents to pay close attention to sinus infections, given what the doctors have told him about how they are becoming more prevalent and can carry bacteria that are resistant to common treatments such as a Z-Pak.

"It's a bigger strain of bacteria," he said. "It's a 10- to 14-day deal. Nobody wants to go through what Tracy and I have. It's a scary road."